Semi-Conductors and Hsin-Chu Technology Park

Wed. March 18th--I went to a the Hsin-Chu Science Park south of Taipei in Taiwan. I am fascinated by technology and always have been. I was dumbstruck by the collectiveness of the government and company policies so that all of these firms and the country may learn from each other. I have seen similar laboratories in the US, but none that made semi-conductors.

I took two pictures when I entered the primary building for this park. The first was of a metal mesh rice bowl and chop sticks and the second was of rice grains spread on the ground. I took the meaning of the two pictures collectively to mean sharing the resources, the rice spills out of an open bowl.

I think one of the most fascinating things was practical use of all the technology. They had a network of supercomputers monitoring some of the key environmental indicators in national parks all around the island. They also used the network of supercomputers to help some of the health problems here, such as mapping asthma and the factors from all patients in the national healthcare system to ensure the neediest get treatment first. After the hour bus ride home, I made it in time to my afternoon finance class.